Walter J. Olearczyk

Walter Joseph Olearczyk, 95, of Manchester, N.J., passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the funeral from the Walter J. Johnson Funeral Home, 803 Raritan Rd., Clark, N.J., on Monday, Nov. 4, starting at 8:30 a.m., thence to St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Linden, N.J., where a Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. Interment will follow in St. Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia, N.J. Visiting will be on Monday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. To offer condolences please go www.walterjohnsonfh.com Walter was the son of Polish immigrants, Andrew and Mary (Konopelski) Olearczyk. He was a New Jersey resident his entire life, residing initially in Jersey City, N.J., Clark for 25 years, and most recently in Manchester. He was predeceased by his brothers, Stanley Olearczyk and Joseph Olear. Walter served his country in the Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945 and was honorably discharged as a corporal. In 1945 he married Helen Sporczyk, his wife of 68 years. He subsequently attended Rutgers on the GI Bill and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1951. He was employed by General Motors in Linden, N.J., for nearly 40 years, working on the assembly line as a young man, before and after World War II. He continued his career at GM in Linden as an industrial engineer before retiring in 1981. He was also Clark's representative on the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority for 19 years and served one term as commissioner. Walter was a devoted spouse, brother, parent and grandparent (Jagi). His life revolved around serving his family, as well as his country and community. He was a longtime parishioner of St. Theresa's Church. Walter leaves behind his loving and devoted wife, Helen; brother, Edward Olearczyk Sr.; daughter, Susan James and her husband, Brynley James III, of Texas, and a son, Robert Lear and his wife, Karen Winograd, of Matawan, N.J. He also is survived by his cherished grandchildren, Kelly James Sponhaltz and her husband, Clayton, Jennifer James, Brynley James IV, Aaron Lear and his wife, Allison Ferrier Lear, Jonathan Lear, and great-grandchild, Crawford Ray Sponhaltz. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his memory to the Restoration Fund at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, 131 E. Edgar Rd., Linden, N.J. 07036.